As ongoing shootings take place in Hanover Park on the Cape Flats, residents in the area took to attacking officers of the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement and Metro Police on Friday.
A Law Enforcement officer sustained head injuries during the attack.
A video of the incident has also been making the rounds on social media.
In the video, a man can be seen lying on the ground surrounded by residents, and it appears he has been shot. Law enforcement officers can also be seen standing near the injured man.
The crowd grows and residents start shouting at officers. A man is then seen taking a piece of wood and hitting an officer across the head with it.
That’s when things get rowdy and another person in the crowd throws a brick on the roof (aluminium sheeting) of a residence which has everyone jumping.
As officers retreat (all except one) to their vehicles, they start getting pelted with stones by residents, and the officers drive away.
Mayoral committee member for safety and security, Alderman JP Smith has condemned this attack on enforcement staff.
“A Law Enforcement officer was injured when community members attacked staff in Hanover Park earlier. At approximately 9.11am, Shotspotter detected numerous shots fired in the area of Johndown, Lonedown, and Ryburg roads. Metro Police and Law Enforcement officers responded and saw an armed suspect running away.
“One of the Law Enforcement officers pursued him on foot – the suspect turned around and took aim at the officer, who then reached for his weapon and opened fire. However, at this point, a group alleged to be gang members, started hurling stones at the officer – he sustained head injuries, and a patrol vehicle too was damaged. The officer has since been taken to a medical facility for treatment,” Smith said.
He said the gunman the officer was chasing managed to get away and bystanders grabbed the firearm and disposed of it.
It has also been reported that a woman was shot, however, it is now known what the circumstances are.
“We are also aware of a civilian being shot – she was taken to hospital using private transport. The circumstances around this shooting are not clear. This is not the first time that bystanders interfere with officers in the execution of their duties, or cause them harm.
“We highlighted a similar instance in Ottery recently.
“This is completely unacceptable – our staff put their lives on the line daily, in response to the pleas from communities battling with gang-related violence. We cannot allow this open defiance of law and order to continue – the people who aid and abet these criminals are guilty of a criminal offence and should be treated as criminals,” Smith said.
He called on anyone who knows the whereabouts of the suspect involved in the incident and those who interfered, to report the information to the City of Cape Town’s 24-hour tip-off line at 0800 110077.
“If the information leads to a successful arrest or the recovery of an illegal firearm or contraband, the person can receive a reward. They will remain anonymous,” Smith said.
Speaking to IOL, the Philippi/Hanover Park Community Policing Forum (CPF) secretary Yaseen Johaar condemned the actions of a few in the community.
"On behalf of the Philippi/Hanover Park CPF, we serve as a voice for the community, conveying concerns and fostering partnerships with law enforcement agencies. We strongly condemn the reprehensible actions of alleged gang members who attacked our law enforcement officers, who risk their lives daily to serve and protect our community.
”You know these officers are someone's parent, child, or loved one, and much deserving of respect and dignity. We agree with JP Smith's account of the recent incident and what transpired during this active scene, there are many complexities of policing in high-pressure situations,” Johaar said.
He said while policing cannot succeed without community support and vice versa, it was not ‘residents’ or ‘bystanders’ but a specific group of people within the community.
“The majority of Hanover Park residents are law-abiding citizens who care deeply about their community. It's essential to accurately report incidents, avoiding generalisations that create misinformation. In this case, it was a specific group, not residents, who allegedly attacked law enforcement. Additionally, it was specific individuals who disposed of a firearm, not just bystanders.
“In the same breath, We urge respect and honour for our law enforcement agencies as they respond to the challenges facing our community. Similarly, law enforcement must engage with communities in a caring, non-judgmental manner, with the utmost respect. Stronger community relations are crucial and essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” Johaar said.
He said Friday’s incident highlighted the need for unity and collective action.
The CPF also wished the injured officer a speedy recovery and called on the community to stand in solidarity to abolish gang violence.
IOL